Core unit personnel will be involved in providing each of the following four major services: project[unreadable] design, statistical support, Framingham/Beijing/MOST and OAI epidemiologic analyses and administration.[unreadable] Although these services can be considered separately for ease of presentation, they in fact represent a rich[unreadable] network of integrated functions that will contribute to MCRC performance in a number of ways. First, the[unreadable] centralization of these services helps to integrate the multiple research projects of the Center and will also[unreadable] serve to facilitate their administration. Second, the core service functions will provide supplemental support[unreadable] for projects in epidemiology and other clinical research funded through this MCRC proposal and for a[unreadable] number of other projects that are or will be funded from other sources. This core unit already provides[unreadable] substantial research support for multiple externally funded projects (e.g. four current R-Ol/U-01's) and will[unreadable] continue to do so during the next 5 year cycle. RESCU will also provide critical start up support for new[unreadable] projects that evolve during the grant cycle. Third, the core will provide services to other research activities[unreadable] in the Arthritis Center including basic and clinical research projects such as those in vasculitis and[unreadable] scleroderma. Fourth, core funds will enable our staff to continue their consultative support of researchers at[unreadable] other arthritis units.[unreadable] The core unit arrangement will create a network of resources that extends the functions of staff[unreadable] beyond their specific project assignments and facilitates the efficient use of staff time. Two key features of[unreadable] this central resource are the shared office space of members of this support unit which leads them to[unreadable] frequent interactions, and the weekly staff meetings in which ongoing and proposed research projects are[unreadable] critically evaluated. The continuation of this successful core unit will thus provide a set of centralized and[unreadable] shared resources that will enhance our productivity in an area of special Center emphasis and that will[unreadable] contribute to a resource in support of other arthritis investigators who need design and analysis advice. This[unreadable] external support function of the core unit will help to achieve one of the major goals of the NIH Centers[unreadable] Program.